Bradley Roberts replaces Dewi Lake in Wales autumn squad
- Published
Dewi Lake's arm was in a sling after Ospreys lost at Dragons on Sunday
Dragons hooker Bradley Roberts has been called into the Wales squad to replace the injured Dewi Lake who will miss the autumn internationals.
Lake suffered a shoulder injury in the United Rugby Championship defeat against Dragons on 23 October and has been replaced by Roberts in the squad.
Wales face New Zealand on 5 November with further matches against Argentina, Georgia and Australia.
Coach Wayne Pivac also has other injury worries ahead of the All Blacks game.
Squad members Josh Adams (thumb), Taulupe Faletau (calf), Gareth Anscombe (ribs), Alex Cuthbert (leg) and Leigh Halfpenny (hamstring) missed matches for the regions last weekend.
Ospreys back George North also picked up a knee injury against Dragons.
Those six players are currently in rehabilitation and are still in contention to face New Zealand.
Dan Biggar, flanker Taine Basham, prop Leon Brown, lock Seb Davies, prop Wyn Jones, back-row Josh Navidi, centre Johnny Williams and full-back Liam Williams were not considered for the squad because of injuries.
Roberts, 26, made his international debut for Wales against South Africa in November 2021 and has won two caps.
The South-African born hooker, who qualifies for Wales through his grandmother, moved to Dragons from Ulster for the start of the 2022-23 season and has produced some impressive displays for his new side.
Roberts joins Scarlets hookers Ryan Elias and Ken Owens in the Wales squad.
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Pivac hopes Lake will be back for the 2023 Six Nations.
"Dewi is out for the entire autumn series unfortunately because he'd done well in South Africa and we were looking to keep building on that," added Pivac.
"It's disappointing for him but he's definitely been ruled out of this competition.
"He's still a very young man with a massive future. He's a pretty quick healer and I'm sure he'll be back, chomping at the bit for the Six Nations.
"We had a little chat around it and, clearly, if you're going to have an injury, now is the time instead of six months' time."
Pivac was asked whether players would be released to Welsh regions this weekend.
"Given the names mentioned, and the names not mentioned who are training but are banged up from a game on a Sunday where we had 15 or 16 of our squad playing in that game, a lot of them are quite sore at the moment," added Pivac.
"At this stage, we don't envisage any going back just purely because of where we're at.
"I've spoken to three of the four coaches and I'll speak to the fourth today as I only have just had the [medical] update."
Wales squad for autumn internationals
Forwards: Rhodri Jones (Dragons), Nicky Smith (Ospreys), Gareth Thomas (Ospreys), Ryan Elias (Scarlets), Bradley Roberts (Dragons), Ken Owens (Scarlets), Tomas Francis (Ospreys), Dillon Lewis (Cardiff Rugby), Sam Wainwright (Saracens), Adam Beard (Ospreys), Ben Carter (Dragons), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Will Rowlands (Dragons), Taulupe Faletau (Cardiff Rugby), Dan Lydiate (Ospreys), Josh MacLeod (Scarlets), Jac Morgan (Ospreys), Tommy Reffell (Leicester Tigers), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Christ Tshiunza (Exeter Chiefs).
Backs: Dane Blacker (Scarlets), Kieran Hardy (Scarlets), Tomos Williams (Cardiff Rugby), Gareth Anscombe (Ospreys), Sam Costelow (Scarlets), Rhys Priestland (Cardiff Rugby), Joe Hawkins (Ospreys), George North (Ospreys), Nick Tompkins (Saracens), Owen Watkin (Ospreys), Josh Adams (Cardiff Rugby), Alex Cuthbert (Ospreys), Rio Dyer (Dragons), Leigh Halfpenny (Scarlets), Louis Rees-Zammit (Gloucester).
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